


things will work out

by marc0bot



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Awkward Flirting, Bitty has to deal with A LOT, First Kiss, Jack Zimmermann Didn't Go to Samwell, Jack Zimmermann Doesn't Play Hockey, Lardo's the only sane one of course, M/M, Minor Adam "Holster" Birkholtz/Justin "Ransom" Oluransi, Minor Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight, New Year's Eve, New Years, POV Eric "Bitty" Bittle, Ransom and Holster are terrible wingmen, Shitty is somehow even worse, Ski instructor Jack Zimmermann, Winter Break 2015, but he loves them, ski resort, tw I'm from California and don't know how winter sports work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28369509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marc0bot/pseuds/marc0bot
Summary: Eric isn't made for the cold, and he’s most definitely not made to spend the last week of 2015 at a ski resort in Canada. Hell, he doesn't even know how to ski!but with Ransom, Holster, and Lardo all graduating next spring, it's not like he's about to pass up the opportunity to spend more time with his friends before everything changes.What he doesn't know is that change may be coming sooner than expected, and that isn't always a bad thing.
Relationships: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 48
Kudos: 130





	1. The Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the 12 Days of Ficmas event on Tumblr! 
> 
> The prompt: 2 characters of your choice meet at a ski resort.
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful beta, [Ash_and_Ember](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ash_and_Ember)!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I've never been to a ski resort. I've seen snow in person maybe twice in my life. I'm from California. Idk what I'm doing and it WILL be obvious-

“Bitty, how many layers are you _wearing_?”

“Eight,” Eric replies, glaring at Ransom from beneath the two scarfs wrapped tightly around his neck and lower half of his face. 

Shitty tugs him against his side. “Don’t make fun of him, brah. Our sweet southern belle just isn’t used to such cold, Canadian winters!”

“And you _are_?” Lardo asks.

Shitty opens his mouth to answer, but nothing comes out. Eric takes this as an opportunity to free himself from his friend’s grasp. 

When Ransom had invited them all up to Canada for the last week of 2015, Eric had already been a bit reluctant to accept the invitation. Then he had made it known that they’d be spending their trip at a ski resort and Eric was even _less_ inclined to say yes. It took a lot of convincing, Ransom and Holster creating an entire PowerPoint presentation on why Eric should go on the trip. 

Once they had gotten to the slide about how it’s Ransom, Holster, and Lardo’s last winter break before they graduate and therefore one of the last chances they have to do something all together, Eric had caved in. 

So here they are, arriving at a resort Eric can’t even remember the name of, with temperatures in the negatives and snow covering every surface. Thankfully, they’ve arrived too late in the evening to do any skiing today; Eric is perfectly happy with staying in the rustic hotel with its central heating for as long as he can.

They drop their luggage off in their rooms – Ransom, Holster, and Shitty in one with him and Lardo in another – which Eric takes as an opportunity to shed a few layers, leaving him in only an undershirt and his Samwell Hockey hoodie. 

Once they’re done getting settled in their rooms, they all head down to the lobby for dinner. The food is decent for a hotel restaurant, and once they’re finished, Ransom and Holster immediately make a beeline for the pool table they had seen near the bar when they arrived. Shitty joins them.

“For emotional support,” He explains. “You know how much they both suck at pool.”

Lardo waves him away, rolling her eyes fondly before turning to Eric. “You wanna drink?”

“....Lards, I’m still only twenty.”

“We’re in Canada, man. Drinking age is nineteen here.”

Eric’s eyes widen and he nods, getting up from his seat. He and Lardo sit themselves down at the bar, hopping up onto the barstools. Eric hopes he doesn’t look like a child, with his legs dangling from the chair and his eyes looking anywhere but at the bartender. 

Lardo notices his nerves immediately and orders for both of them. He doesn’t even know what she got for him, but as he takes a sip, the tension in his shoulders loosens almost immediately. He gives Lardo a smile, thanking her for knowing exactly what he needs to feel better. 

Someone else slides up to the bar then, sighing as he takes a seat right next to Eric. He chances a look at the stranger, and Eric almost chokes on his drink. 

The guy is….exactly his type, if Eric’s being honest; Tall, broad shoulders covered by a navy cable-knit sweater, messy dark hair as if it’s been contained in a hat for hours, a jawline that could cut glass, and even in the dim lighting, eyes so blue Eric can’t even believe they’re real-

He looks to Lardo, who’s eyeing him knowingly, looking at the man and back at Eric before taking her drink and hopping off the stool. She shoots him one last look as she makes her way to where Holster is using his cue stick like a hockey stick, shooting the balls into the holes and failing miserably every time. 

Turning back to the bar, Eric glances at the man beside him, only to see him staring back. Eric quickly averts his eyes and takes a not-so-subtle gulp of his cocktail, hoping the high alcohol percentage will calm his rapidly beating heart. 

The man, seemingly unaware of Eric’s internal Gay Panic, gets the attention of the bartender and says, “I’ll have a beer, thanks.”

The sound of the stranger’s voice has Eric downing the rest of his drink; that _accent_ , Lord almighty….Eric can’t even place it (French maybe? It’s definitely unique), but he can recognize that he finds it _extremely_ attractive, like, unfairly so. Paired with the man’s looks, Eric wonders briefly if he’s died and this is who’s welcoming him at the gates of Heaven.

Or is it Hell? Because Eric is so incredibly nervous right now it almost feels like torture. 

“....And another one of whatever he’s having,” the stranger adds, gesturing to the now empty drink in Eric’s hand. 

Ok. Definitely Hell, because now Eric’s on fire. 

After a few moments of staring, he realizes he should probably say something. “Um….Thanks.”

“It’s no problem,” the man replies, raising his drink to his lips. Eric can’t help but notice how big his hands are; they’re at least twice the size of his own-

A new drink is placed in front of him, and Eric immediately goes to drink it. It suddenly feels a lot hotter than before, making him tug at the collar of his hoodie.

The unfairly attractive man next to him tracks the movement, looking down at his hoodie with recognition. “Samwell...Like Samwell University?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m on their hockey team,” Eric glances down at the words on his chest, then back up at the man. “...Obviously.”

The stranger’s eyes light up at that, and damn are those eyes _blue_. “What a coincidence! My mother went to Samwell.”

“Really?” Eric asks, nerves subsiding a little as he smiles. “Wow, small world!”

The man smiles in return, and his teeth are somehow also perfect. “Very.” He takes another sip of his beer and turns in his stool to face Eric. “So, what brings a college student from Massachusetts all the way to a ski resort in Ontario?”

So _that’s_ where they are! To be honest, Eric had completely forgotten what province they were in the moment they left the airport. Not like it makes much of a difference where they are either way, with the weather staying the same practically everywhere up North.

Wait, is this guy trying to _flirt_ with him?

No, he can’t be.

“A friend of mine is from Toronto. He invited us up here for New Years’,” Eric replies, gesturing towards the pool table where the game seems to be going terribly, from the looks of it.

The man glances in the direction of Eric’s friends and nods, “I see. So, how’s the cold treating you so far?” 

“I live in Massachusetts, what makes you think I’m not used to it already?” Eric responds, leaning into the flirting; not _too_ much, just enough to get the idea across (hopefully). 

“I don’t know, you just seem like someone who does better in the heat.”

Yeah, he’s definitely flirting. Fuck, Eric doesn’t know how to respond-

“Plus, your hands have been shaking this whole time,” the man adds, a soft laugh escaping his lips as sets his eyes on the hand around Eric’s drink.

Eric’s not sure if it’s actually from the cold or….something else, but he shoves his hands into his hoodie pocket anyway. He can feel the warmth of a blush reaching his face as the man beside him gives him a knowing smile.

“So, have you ever skied before?” 

Grateful for the change of subject, Eric shakes his head. “I think you can guess the answer to that one.”

“I thought you might surprise me,” the man reaches for his beer, but doesn’t take a sip. “Don’t worry, I’ve heard the instructors are pretty great here.” 

Eric’s about to ask what he knows about them when Shitty appears between them. 

“Bits, you gotta get over there. Holster’s challenging Ransom to a rematch and they almost started sword fighting with their cue sticks. It’s swawesome!” Eric gives him a pointed look and Shitty’s eyes widen, making him whip around to the stranger sitting behind him. “Sorry to interrupt whatever magic is happening over here, brah, but I’m gonna have to steal my boy Eric away from you now. Captain’s orders.”

Oh, Eric is going to have a _talk_ with Ransom and Holster after this. 

The man looks a little confused, but he nods and Shitty takes that as permission to haul Eric out of his seat and towards the rest of the crew. 

“Sorry!” Eric calls out as he’s dragged away by his friend. 

But the stranger just smiles, giving a small wave and saying, “It’s alright. See you on the slopes!”

Eric doesn’t even have time to wonder what he means by that, too busy being roped into convincing Holster to give up on winning for now, everyone starting to feel the fatigue from their flight.

“I demand a rematch tomorrow though,” Holster says on the elevator ride up to their rooms.

Ransom gives him a pat on the shoulder. “Of course, bro. Tomorrow you can beat me all you want, but can we please go the fuck to sleep now?”

They part ways for the night, and Lardo proceeds to prod Eric for deets on the “unfairly attractive” man he’d been talking to.

It’s only then that Eric realizes he never even got the guy’s name.


	2. Day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric meets his ski instructor.

They get out on the slopes fairly early the next day, and Eric can already barely feel his fingers inside his gloves as they get off the ski lift. He just hopes his goggles don’t get too fogged up (more so than they already are, at least). Eric isn’t surprised when his friends immediately head for the more difficult slopes because unlike him, they’ve skied at least once before. 

“RACE YOU,” Shitty shouts, before pushing himself along as fast as he can on flat ground with skis strapped to his feet. Ransom and Holster run after him, leaving Eric and Lardo behind. 

Lardo rolls her eyes as she watches them shuffle away, but Eric can hear the fondness in her voice as she says, “Idiots…”

“You got that right,” Eric replies. “You don’t have to stay with me, you know. I’m well aware that I’m the only one who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

She punches him in the shoulder. “I wouldn’t leave a bro hanging, Bits. You know that.”

Eric smiles. “Thanks-”

“Besides, I would never pass up the opportunity to watch you fall on your ass.”

He punches her back, but Lardo shrugs it off and leads them in the direction of the beginners’ course. 

Eric really shouldn’t be surprised by what he sees. The area that’s dedicated to beginner skiers has a small incline, just enough to gain some momentum but not steep enough to make falling that big of a deal. He’s mostly thankful for that, in all honesty. 

But then he sees the rest of the skiers in the course, and Eric instantly feels the embarrassment creep up onto his cheeks; at least he can blame the freezing air for it if anyone takes notice. 

Out of a class of six, he and Lardo are the only adults. 

The four children, no older than ten, surround the two adults who Eric guesses are the instructors. They all bounce up and down with excitement and as he gets closer, he sees that one of them is clinging to the leg of one of the instructors. 

An instructor who, when he looks up from the child and notices Eric and Lardo coming towards them, smiles and waves. 

Everyone is split into groups with three students per instructor, and Eric is a little disappointed when Lardo isn’t put in the same group as him; though he knows she’d make fun of him here and there, he could use the ounce of moral support that he knows she’s capable of giving.

Before he can say anything to her, someone comes up to him from behind and says, “Eric! I had a feeling I’d see you here.”

Eric turns around to find his instructor smiling down at him, eyes a piercing blue even from behind a pair of large ski goggles-

_Oh._

He looks back to Lardo, who’s a small distance away now, but the look she gives him is more than readable even from here. 

Turning back to the man next to him, Eric says, “You!” He pauses. “I’m sorry, I never did get your name.”

“Jack,” he replies, reaching out a gloved hand for Eric to shake.

Eric accepts the gesture, trying not to think too hard about how he can still feel the warmth of Jack’s hand through both of their gloves. “So, you’re an instructor, huh?”

He swears he isn’t _trying_ to flirt, but it’s hard when Eric knows exactly what the man looks like without all the snow gear. 

“Haha, yeah. Been working here for a few years,” Jack replies. “I’m glad you’re here though.”

Eric smiles, proud of the fact that Jack still seems to be intent on flirting back. 

“Now, less chatting more skiing, eh? Let’s see what you can do.” 

Jack moves his attention to the group as a whole, and Eric tries to push down his disappointment. There are kids that need more help than he does, after all. 

Hiding his disappointment turns out to be pretty easy, however, as Eric gets to witness Jack interacting with the two kids in the group. As he guides them through the basics, Jack praises both of them for every little victory, helping them stay upright and dusting them off when they lose their balance. Both kids seem to hang off of Jack’s every word.

And Eric can’t blame them, because he’s just as enamored. He’s barely moved since they started because he’s been too busy watching Jack, which makes the moment he finally comes over to Eric that much more embarrassing. 

Jack comes to stand in front of him and reaches out both hands for Eric to grab onto. He starts to move backward, and Eric grips his hands tighter as he starts moving forward with a little more momentum than he’s used to. 

“That’s it. Use your balance, I know you have it,” Jack says, looking Eric straight in the eye.

Eric averts his gaze to his feet. “Maybe, but this is a lot different than hockey-” 

He stumbles, but Jack keeps him from falling forward. “Don’t look at your tips, keep your eyes forward.”

A hand tilts Eric’s chin up, bringing his eyes back to Jack’s, whose hand disappears as quickly as it came. But that doesn’t stop Eric from gasping at the contact and losing even more balance as he falls backward, ass hitting the snow.

“Yeah, definitely not hockey,” Jack lets out a small laugh before offering Eric a hand. “Are you alright?” 

Eric quickly stands back up and regains his balance with the help of Jack’s hands on his shoulders. “I’m just fine, thank you.”

Physically? Yes, he’s fine; he’s had _far_ worse.

Mentally? Eric feels like hitting himself repeatedly over the head with a snowboard. 

“That’s good. I’ve gotta go back to help the others, but you keep trying, eh? I’ll be back over in a few minutes.”

“Alright,” Eric replies, and Jack skis his way over to the two kids who’ve moved all of three feet in the last five minutes.

Sighing, Eric continues forward - inch by inch - and decidedly _doesn’t_ look in Jack’s direction. 

They all break for lunch about an hour and a half later, he and Lardo heading back down to the lodge alone. The boys will most likely be out for at least another hour, and even though Eric barely made it halfway down the small slope, he’s exhausted _and_ starving. 

“So, did you have fun? I hope the beginner stuff wasn’t too boring,” Eric asks as they sit on the ski lift. 

“It was alright. My instructor was pretty good,” Lardo shrugs before moving to prod Eric in the side. “Not as good as _yours_ , apparently-”

Eric groans and shoves her hand away, causing Lardo to narrow her eyes at him.

“Deets.”

Trapped in the air and fearing Lardo’s wrath, Eric has no choice but to spill.


	3. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric kind of wants to kill his friends...

The next morning, Eric is dead tired and seriously considers not leaving his bed in favor of resting his legs. But then he remembers how Jack had held his hands so tightly, how good of a teacher he was….

He gets up with very little resistance after that. 

Avoiding the knowing looks Lardo shoots his way, they meet up with the boys and head down for breakfast. Eric watches Shitty douse his mountain of pancakes in maple syrup, which spurs a heated debate between Ransom and Holster on whether waffles or pancakes are the superior breakfast food. He and Lardo watch on in silence, rolling their eyes at their friends’ antics. 

Ignoring the chaos, Lardo leans towards Eric and asks, “So….excited to see Jack again today?”

Eric doesn’t even have time to respond because the entire table has gone silent. All of his friends’ eyes are on him, the debate completely sidelined in favor of staring at him like they’ve just seen a ghost. 

“...Who’s _Jack_?” Shitty asks, ignoring the maple syrup currently stuck in his mustache.

Lardo smirks and casually replies, “Oh, just Bitty’s instructor that he totally has the hots for.”

And then, chaos.

Ransom and Holster hit him with rapid-fire questions, Eric barely being able to answer one before another is thrown at him. 

“Wait wait wait,” Shitty interrupts. “What about that guy from the bar? It looked like you two really hit it off.” 

Eric starts, “Well, funny story-” 

Shitty promptly loses it, standing up and leaning over the table.

“Are you fucking serious!?” A family one table over shoots him a glare, and Shitty slowly lowers himself back to his seat apologetically. 

He attempts to lower his voice to a whisper as he asks, “You’re meaning to tell me...that hot dude from the bar...and your hot ski instructor...just happen to be the same person?”

Eric nods, blush high on his cheeks.

“What kind of romantic comedy meet-cute shit _is_ this….” 

“Well, now I really wanna meet this guy,” Holster says.

Ransom chimes in, “Yeah, Bits! When can we meet him?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Eric replies. “Seriously, it’s just a little infatuation. I doubt anything will come of it.”

There’s a pause, and then Shitty asks, “Did he seem into you?”

“I don’t think-”

“That man was flirting so hard he made Bits fall on his ass,” Lardo interrupts, practically deadpan as she cuts into her pancakes. “Honestly, it was kind of impressive.”

Eric gives Lardo a look of betrayal, but she just stuffs a slice of pancake into her mouth unbothered. 

Ransom, Holster, and Shitty look at Eric, then to each other, and nod as if coming to a silent agreement. 

“Bits,” Holster says, looking to Ransom and then back at Eric. “As your captains, it is our duty to make sure this man is good enough for you.”

“Yeah, man. We gotta make sure he’ll treat you right,” Ransom adds. 

Eric shakes his head, eyes wide. “You _really_ don’t have to-”

“And as your retired captain, I second this motion,” Shitty says, hand to his heart.

Eric looks to Lardo for help, but she just shrugs as if saying _‘Sorry, bro. Nothing’s gonna stop them now.’_

Holster stands up from his seat. “Well, we better get going. Can’t keep _Jack_ waiting, right Bits?”

Bringing his forehead to the table, Eric groans, “I hate you guys.”

Shitty ruffles Eric’s hair as he moves to put his plate with the rest of the buffet’s dirty dishes. “Nah, you know you love us.”

And he does, somehow, even when they embarrass the hell out of him. 

~~~~~~~~~~

He hates them. 

Eric really, _really_ hates them.

Once they all get off the ski lift, Eric and Lardo immediately start off in the direction of the same course as yesterday, fully expecting the others to head to the higher level slopes a ways away. 

But no. Instead, Eric is startled by an arm around his shoulder and Holster admitting, “You know, I wasn’t doing so hot yesterday...I think I need some help relearning the basics.”

“You too, bro?” Ransom responds, coming up to Eric’s other side, sandwiching him between the two d-men. “It’s been so long since I’ve been in the great North, it’s like I’ve forgotten everything I know!”

“Boys, I swear if you-”

“What a coincidence!” Shitty replies, moving in front of them before turning around to face Eric, shuffling awkwardly backward as he does so. “I, too, need the hands of a big, strong man to teach me the ways of the snow once more. You wouldn’t happen to know anybody like that, _would you, Bits_?”

Eric wonders, briefly, how much snow he would need to hide three bodies. 

“You’re all idiots,” Lardo says, picking up the pace and passing Shitty to lead them in the direction of Jack’s class. “As if Bitty’s gonna share.”

Make that four bodies. 

Eric spots the group of kids from yesterday, then the other instructor who he’s a little embarrassed to admit he doesn’t remember the name of-

And finally, there’s Jack, who’s crouching down to help one of the kids secure his feet better in his skis.

How does his ass look that good in snow pants? It’s unfair. 

Jack stands back up and turns around, and Eric can tell exactly when Jack notices him approaching. His whole body perks up in the same way it did when he recognized him for the first time yesterday, and he raises his hand in a wave. 

“Eric! Glad to see you out here again!” Jack says, then he notices the three knew skiers accompanying Eric. “Are these your friends?”

Sighing, Eric replies, “Yeah, but they’re not-” 

“Jack, right?” Shitty says, sidling up to Eric’s side. “Bitty’s told us a _lot_ about you!”

“Oh?” 

“Yeah, that you’re such a _great_ teacher,” Holster adds, hooking an arm around Eric’s shoulders.

Ransom joins in with an arm around Eric’s middle. “So, we wanted to see if he was right. Eh, Bits?”

Actually, maybe burying himself alive is the better option. 

Jack looks at the four of them with confusion until Lardo comes up from behind the four of them and says, “They wanna join your class.” She bypasses them in favor of joining the group she was in yesterday. “Good luck.”

They watch her leave in silence, then Jack turns his head back to face them. “Well, let’s get to it then.”

Shitty, Ransom, and Holster holler in reply, racing to where the ground leads into a small incline. 

Eric shakes his head at his friends’ antics, him and Jack moving to catch up with them. “I apologize in advance for….everything they might do.”

“It’s fine. The more the merrier, eh?” Jack laughs before adding, “Also….Bitty?”

“Oh! It’s a hockey nickname,” Eric looks down at his feet (which Jack told him not to do, but looking into those eyes is a little overwhelming). “You can use it...if you want.”

When Eric looks up again, he’s greeted with a smile that makes his heart beat a little too fast in his chest. “Ok, Bitty.”

At that moment, he thinks, maybe this whole ordeal won’t be _too_ bad. 

But of course, he’s completely wrong. 

Since there are suddenly more ‘students’ than the day before, the groups are redivided, with the other instructor taking the five children present and Jack taking Eric and his friends. 

Big mistake. 

Ransom and Holster keep taking turns to see who can make it to the end of the course and back the fastest, and Shitty keeps trying to convince Lardo to make snow angels with him. Jack watches on in amusement before turning to Eric, who currently feels like melting into the snow in an attempt to escape.

“They...Don’t really seem like they need my help.”

Eric sighs, “They don’t. They just like to make my life as difficult as possible.” 

They watch Ransom and Holster somehow tumble down the barely-there slope. Jack looks like he’s almost about to go and make sure they’re okay before he sees them start to make their own snow angels, Shitty speeding over to join them immediately.

“At least they’re having fun,” Jack says before turning to Eric. “I guess that means we can focus on you today.” 

Eric can only nod in reply because apparently, the idea of Jack helping him one-on-one renders him unable to speak. 

So, Jack gives him his undivided attention and – unsurprisingly – it makes Eric feel amazing _and_ terrified all at once. Jack doesn’t hold his hands like last time, but he observes Eric’s every move, eyes roaming up and down his body. Obviously, Jack’s just checking his form, but damn if it doesn’t feel extremely charged. 

And here’s the thing, Eric _can_ tell that Jack is interested in him. He’s not stupid; he remembers Jack’s obvious flirting at the bar, the unnecessary touches the first time Jack taught him. Hell, he remembered Eric’s _name_ when Eric himself hadn’t even remembered to ask for Jack’s. 

But Eric also knows that he’s just on vacation, and that if anything _might_ happen between them, it’ll only last until the end of the week. Eric might be wishing to have someone to kiss on New Years’, but he wants that someone to be there the day after, too. 

It _is_ tempting though, as Jack lays his hands on Eric’s shoulders to steady him-

“FINE!!” 

Eric stumbles at the sound, Jack’s grip keeping him from falling forward. He glares in the direction of Ransom and Holster, who are pointing at him and Jack and giggling like little school girls. 

And Eric kind of wants to die as Jack laughs awkwardly in response, obviously confused about the whole situation. 

Though Eric kind of loves the way Jack’s laugh sounds, so maybe it isn’t all too bad.

He definitely still wants to murder them though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm behind on getting chapter 5 done in time for Thursday but I'm gonna try :')


	4. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric continues to embarrass himself further...but it's not the end of the world

As they head out the next day, Eric prepares to lay down the law, not sure if he can survive any more embarrassment. 

It turns out he doesn’t have to. 

“Ready to up the stakes today, bro?” Ransom asks Holster as the group waits for a few empty ski lifts.

“Of course, man! Are _you_ ready?”

Eric’s eyes go wide. “Wait, so you guys aren’t-”

“Whatever you’re planning, count me in,” Shitty says. “I’m looking for a real challenge!”

Eric looks to Lardo, who shrugs in reply.

Once they’re back on solid ground, Ransom, Holster, and Shitty immediately head in the direction of the slopes with much higher difficulties than Eric can handle. He looks to Lardo again, who’s now noticeably concealing a smirk. 

“You talked to them, didn’t you?” Eric asks. 

“More like threatened-”

“Lardo!”

“I’m kidding,” She laughs. “Sort of….they know not to mess with you, that’s for sure.”

Eric shakes his head and smiles. “You didn’t have to do that, Lards.”

“It’s no problem, bro,” she replies. “But seriously, for three self-proclaimed professional wingmen, they sure are good at cockblocking.”

He laughs at that, but stops when Lardo starts in the opposite direction of Jack’s class. “Where are you going?”

Turning back to Eric, she says, “Thought I should take my own advice, give you two some _alone time_.”

As alone as they _can_ be surrounded by little kids. Still, the idea sounds nice, and Eric is immediately grateful to have friends who know just what he needs from them. 

With only one semester left, the thought hits him like a check from a player twice his size; he’s scared. He’s gotten so used to Ransom, Holster, and Lardo always being in his space, always there for Eric when needs them. He knows that his friends will still be there, but it still won’t be the same as it was. He doesn’t want them to leave.

He doesn’t want the New Year to come, because that’s when it stops being an abstract thought and instead, becomes a reality that he can’t ignore. 

But Eric doesn’t want to bring down the mood while they’re on such a nice vacation, so he packs those fears away for another time. 

“Thanks, Lards.” 

“I always got your back, bro,” Lardo smiles. “Besides, you deserve all that romcom bullshit. Gotta end the year right.”

And with that, they head their separate ways. 

~~~~~~~~~~

“So, I was thinking,” Jack says. “I think you’re ready for a steeper incline.”

The class has whittled down to only four people now, with Jack having only Eric and an eight-year-old boy to work with. The kid is already leagues ahead of Eric at this point, so unfortunately, he can’t use the boy’s mere existence as an excuse to say no. 

Eric, hesitant, asks, “Are you sure?”

“Of course. You’ve gotten a lot better since the first day,” Jack reassures him. “I won’t up the difficulty _too_ much and I’ll be there to help if anything happens, if that makes you feel better.”

He _knows_ that it shouldn’t mean anything, that Jack’s just doing his job, but he can’t help but become flustered nonetheless. 

“Alright. I trust you.”

“Yeah?” Jack asks and Eric nods, a smile breaking out on his face that Jack returns with enthusiasm. “Right on! Let’s head on over then.”

The new area isn’t _that_ much steeper than the previous one, but it’s still intimidating. There’s quite a few more obstacles in the way, and Eric’s a little concerned that he’ll be moving too fast to be able to avoid them. Still, he thinks it can’t possibly go _too_ bad, what with Jack’s affirmation that Eric’s now good enough to handle it.

Jack guides him through the first attempt, reminding Eric how to change directions quickly.

“And remember, always look forward,” Jack repeats, and though it’s still a struggle not to look down at what his feet are doing, Eric nods.

He completes the course at least three more times with Jack’s assistance before Eric says, “I think I wanna try doing it on my own this time.” 

Jack looks down at him, surprised. “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. You said I was ready, right?”

“Yes! Definitely, just….let me-“ 

Jack moves his hands to Eric’s helmet – which Eric hasn’t really needed to worry about having until now – and checks to make sure it’s secure. The moment is somehow much more intimate than the hand holding was, forcing Eric to cast his eyes anywhere but at Jack’s concerned expression in such close proximity.

Then, as quickly as they came, Jack removes his hands from Eric’s head and steps back slightly. “ _Now_ you’re ready.”

Eric gives Jack a smile that he hopes is reassuring, and even though Jack returns it, Eric can tell that he’s still a little worried. 

He’s not sure whether he should be annoyed or flattered that Jack’s this worried. Or maybe he’s just this protective of all his students; Eric’s still a little hesitant to hope for anything more.

Ignoring the weird fluttery feeling the moment brings, he gets himself ready to go again. Then, he’s off, pushing forward before he can change his mind. 

It starts off okay, with Eric thankfully being able to maintain his balance as the slightly steeper incline makes him gain a bit more speed than he’s used to. He does a good job at not looking down, swerving away from obstacles a lot easier than he had expected he would.

Eric finds himself smiling then, because _this_ is fun. Inching his way down a sad excuse for a hill was nothing short of torture (aside from the cute instructor….but that’s beside the point); none of it was worth facing the freezing temperatures.

But now, Eric thinks he gets it – the biting wind in his face invigorating in a way – and he laughs. He can hear Jack shouting something behind him, and Eric looks back in his direction.

“Jack! Look! I’m doing it-“

“Bitty!”

Jack’s voice isn’t one of excitement.

“Watch out!”

Eric quickly turns his head back around only to find himself heading straight for a tree. He panics, missing it by barely an inch, his body tilting too far to one side during the sharp turn and causing him to lose his balance. Falling to the ground, Eric’s body tumbles several feet, his helmet falling off about halfway through.

Thankfully, he had been nearing the bottom of the hill, so Eric doesn’t roll too far. He _is_ fairly dizzy by the end of it though, laying with his arms outstretched and his scarf somewhere behind him in the snow; if he didn’t feel like such an idiot right now, the position would be perfect for making snow angels.

“Bitty!” Jack is by his side in an instant, and Eric doesn’t even have the chance to think about just how fast he must have gone because Jack is leaning over him. It’s a very nice view. “Are you okay?” 

Eric blinks. “I am _now_...”

Even after rolling down a hill like some kind of cartoon character, he still somehow finds a way to make a fool of himself further. 

Jack frowns, then slowly helps Eric back onto his feet. “Your helmet fell off. I must not have secured it tight enough. I’m sorry-“

Eric sneezes. “Don’t apologize, it’s not your fault I wasn't paying attention.”

“I’m your instructor, Bitty. It’s my responsibility to make sure you don’t hurt yourself.” 

“Really, I’m fine-“ He sneezes again. 

Jack seems to realize something, then leaves momentarily. Eric watches him pull something from under a small pile of snow; Eric’s scarf, which is now damp and cold and useless.

Jack notices just as much, it seems, because after quickly skiing back to Eric’s side, he pockets the wet fabric and removes his own scarf instead. Before Eric can protest, the material is wrapped carefully around his neck, Jack bringing it up to cover Eric’s nose. It’s warm from Jack’s body heat, and Eric instantly feels a lot better. 

“You could have hit your head on something, and if that’s the case, you shouldn’t be doing anymore skiing today,” Jack says, hands still holding the ends of the scarf where they rest on Eric’s collar. “I’ll come with you, make sure you get your head checked out.”

Eric shakes his head in protest, but he has to stop when he feels a headache begin to form. “You have another student to look after. Don’t worry about me-“

“I want to,” Jack responds, voice firm. “I’ll ask the other instructor to take over for the rest of the day. I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

Eric promptly shuts his mouth at that, giving in to the look on Jack’s face and letting himself be helped back down to the lodge. 

He doesn’t think the arm around his shoulder the entire way back is completely necessary, but he’s certainly not complaining.

~~~~~~~~~~

Once one of the on-site medics clears him for any injuries, Eric breathes a sigh of relief at the fact that he doesn’t have another concussion; what a start to the new year _that_ would be.

Jack seems just as relieved at the news and Eric expects him to go back to work now, but instead, Jack leads him to one of the couches in front of the lobby fireplace. There’s practically no one else inside at the moment besides a few employees, so Eric is left alone for a moment while Jack disappears somewhere. 

About five minutes later, Jack comes back to the couch with a blanket thrown over his shoulder and two cups of what Eric assumes is hot chocolate in his hands. Jack hands him a mug, which immediately warms his hands that are no longer trapped inside a pair of damp gloves. The blanket is draped over his shoulders and Eric somehow feels ten times warmer in a sweater and a thick blanket than he was in all of his puffy snow gear. 

“Thanks,” Eric says, blowing on the steaming liquid before taking a careful sip. “Are you sure you don’t need to go back to work?”

Jack sits down next to him, sinking into the cushions in a way that makes it obvious that he’s not moving anytime soon. “I’m sure. One instructor is more than enough for the rest of the afternoon, most of my students have moved up to higher levels at this point anyway.”

“So you’re saying I’ve made less progress than a bunch of elementary schoolers?”

He laughs, and Eric smiles. It really is a nice laugh; deep, breathy, and a little awkward.

“No, I’m saying that I have an excuse to stay here,” Jack rests his arm across the back of the couch, and Eric kind of wishes it was around his shoulders instead. “You’ve made a lot of progress, trust me.” 

Eric takes another sip of his drink, hoping to drown out the butterflies in his stomach. “Thank you….I have a great teacher.” 

They sit in silence for several minutes, staring into the bright flame of the fireplace. The lack of conversation isn’t as uncomfortable as Eric expects it to be, but it does make him realize that he hasn’t interacted with Jack outside of his ski lessons since that first night at the bar. Eric wants to talk to him, get to know him better, but he doesn’t even know where to start.

He likes to think that he’s good at small talk, at starting a conversation and keeping it interesting. But there’s something about Jack that makes the words get stuck in his throat. Eric wants to look over at the man beside him, talk as easily as they did that first night, with all the maybe-sorta-definitely flirting that had made Eric’s insides feel much warmer than the alcohol ever did. 

But instead, he keeps his eyes forward, holding his mug even though it’s been empty for quite a while. He’s looking at the fire, but is Jack looking at him? Eric can feel eyes on him, but he can’t turn his head to figure out if he’s right because then the fireplace wouldn’t be the only thing going up in flames. 

_Just say something, Eric-_

“So….excited for the new year?” Jack asks, breaking the silence, and Eric feels so stupid because it really is _that_ easy, isn’t it?

And though he doesn’t want to be a downer, he answers truthfully, “Not really, if I’m being honest.”

Jack sets his mug down on the coffee table and turns his body so he’s facing Eric. “Why? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“It’s just-” Eric sighs, mirroring Jack’s position on the couch. “Three of the friends I came here with….they’re graduating next year.”

Jack nods, looking at Eric like he’s actually interested, so Eric proceeds to let everything that’s been ruminating inside him fall out of his mouth before he can stop himself. 

“It’s not like I think I’ll never see them again, But they’ve always been there for me. Hell, I wouldn’t even _be_ on the team anymore if it weren’t for Shitty helping me through my checking problem. Whether or not I’m made captain next year, I’m gonna have people who are looking up to _me_ for help when _I’m_ the one who really needs it.”

Eric can’t believe he’s saying all this to someone who’s practically a stranger, but it’s something he’s wanted to let out for a while. He knows he can talk to his friends about anything, that they’d understand, but sometimes it’s good to vent to someone who has no stake in the situation either way; someone who’s just there to listen. 

“I- I know it’s stupid, because of _course_ they were never gonna be on the team forever….But it just won’t be the same without them,” He pulls the blanket tighter around himself. “I’m just not ready for everything to change, I guess.”

Silence falls over them once again. Eric, afraid that might have been too much to dump on a man he’s only known for four days, looks anywhere _but_ in Jack’s direction.

“Did you know I used to play hockey?” Jack asks, and Eric is completely caught off guard by the casual response. 

He turns his gaze back to the other man and shakes his head.

Jack smiles, then continues. “It was what everyone expected of me, but I was ok with that because I loved it. I wanted it to be my future just as much as my parents did. Playing in the NHL was never an _if_ , but a _when_.” 

Now it’s Eric’s turn to listen, all of his attention focused on Jack. 

“But then, um, something happened….and suddenly, this thing I had planned my entire life around was pulled out from under me and I had no one to blame but myself,” He looks up at the ceiling, head resting against the back of the couch. “It made me reevaluate _everything_ in my life. I coached a peewee team for a while, and that’s when I realized that I loved working with kids.

“I thought about becoming a coach for a living, but being on the ice just didn’t feel the same anymore. It opened up old wounds, and it just wasn’t what made me happy anymore. So I turned to skiing, got my certification to teach, and now I’m here.” 

Eric can’t help but reach out, placing a hand on Jack’s knee. “I’m glad you’re here, if that means anything.”

“It does,” Jack replies, then rests on hand on top of Eric’s. “What I’m trying to say is, I know how you feel. Change is scary and sometimes it feels like you can’t do anything about it-”

“You got _that_ right,” Eric says, practically a whisper as he marvels over the warmth of Jack’s hand on his own. 

“But….things will work out. Trust me.”

Eric smiles up at Jack, who’s hand is unmoving. They stay like that, staring at each other for what feels like forever. The energy between the two of them is palpable, and Eric has the urge to lean into it, see how strong the current can get the closer they are-

He pulls his arm back quickly, sneezing into the crook of his elbow. 

And the moment is broken. 

“Sorry!” Eric says, eyes wide with embarrassment, feeling the need to hide away in his blanket forever. 

But Jack just laughs, eyes crinkled shut, and Eric takes the opportunity to admire every aspect of his face; the shadow of a beard against his perfect jawline, the dimple he has on only one cheek when he smiles wide enough, the way he tilts his head back when he laughs...

Jack looks back at him, expression warming Eric from the inside out. “Gesundheit.” 

“Bitty!” A voice shouts from the direction of the lobby entrance. They both turn around to see Lardo with the rest of the crew trailing behind her. They jog over to the stand behind the back of the couch. “Shit, we went over to Jack’s class and couldn’t find you so we got worried. The reception was trash so I only just got your text. Are you alright?”

Eric looks at his friends, overwhelmed by just how much they care. “Sorry for worrying you! I just had a bit of a tumble, but I’m fine now.”

Lardo turns her gaze to Jack, who’s sitting much closer to Eric than he remembers. “Yeah, I’m _sure_ you are….”

He fixes her with a look that says _shut it_ , before turning back to Jack. “I think I’m gonna head to my room for the evening. Sorry to cut this short.”

“That’s alright, go get some rest. You’ll definitely be sore in the morning.”

Ransom, Holster, and Shitty all wiggle their eyebrows at the both of them. Shitty whispers to them, “Yeah, I’m _sure_ he will be-”

Eric stands abruptly, glaring at the three men. “Well then! Boys, don’t you have somewhere to be?” He tilts his head in the direction of the bar.

“Oh yeah!” Holster says, turning to Ransom. “Rematch?”

Ransom sighs, “We had one yesterday.”

“....Best out of three?”

Ransom rolls his eyes, but his fondness is apparent as Holster drags him by the arm to the bar. Shitty skips along behind them, humming a random tune. Man, his friends are weird. 

“I’ll go up with you, Bits. I need to get the fuck out of these clothes,” Lardo says, grabbing Eric’s hand and leading them to the elevator.

“Wait!” Jack calls out, standing up from the couch. Eric stops them in their tracks to look back at him. “Um, the resort’s having a party tomorrow night….for New Year’s Eve.”

When Jack doesn’t continue, Lardo asks, “Where is it?”

“Euh, here, in the lobby. It starts at nine-”

“He’ll be there,” Lardo replies before pulling Eric into the elevator.

Wholly confused by what the hell just happened, Eric asks, “...What the hell just happened?”

Lardo smiles, pressing the button for their floor and leaning back against the elevator wall. “I believe I just got you a date for New Years’.”

Eric, flustered beyond belief, hides his face in his hands and groans.

The elevator dings, the door opens; Lardo pushes him in the direction of their room. 

“You can thank me later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 is supposed to go up tomorrow and I'm only halfway done with it aaaaaa this is what I get for adding a new scene to it last minute :')
> 
> it WILL update tomorrow though,,,,guess I just have to write 2 chapters in 2 days lol wish me luck


	5. New Year's Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Eric's going to take a chance, he better do it now...

Eric doesn’t go out on the slopes the next day, choosing instead to lounge around in his and Lardo’s room alone until the party that evening. Even though it’s his last day before their flight home, he finds he isn’t all that disappointed that he doesn’t get to ski one last time. In all honesty, Eric’s more upset that he won’t get to spend more of his last day with Jack than he is about missing the class itself, and he’ll get to see him tonight anyway.

He’ll see him, most likely for the last time. 

Eric _knows_ this; he knew since the first time he and Jack talked that whatever _might_ happen between them would stay in 2015, on a snowy mountain in the middle of Nowhere, Canada. It’s the only real reason why he hasn’t made a move this whole time even though he knows Jack is interested.

Well, that and the fact that every time they’d get _close_ to something happening, Eric would make a fool of himself in front of what is most definitely the most attractive man he’s ever seen in person. He’d never be able to get over it if they hooked up and that was that. 

Eric’s not in _love_ , he’s only known Jack for four days. But he _is_ aware of the potential feelings he could catch and then hold onto for who knows how long. He doesn’t want to be one of those people that annoys their grandkids with stories about a week-long love affair that they still think about long after it happened, always wondering what could have been.

Yeah, maybe he’s being a bit dramatic. Sue him. But no matter how many times Ransom and Holster have tried to set him up, Eric’s never been one for hookup culture. He’s thought about having a one night stand a few times, but he always ends up changing his mind and ending the night alone. After being in the closet for the first eighteen years of his life, he can’t help but want something tangible, more real. Eric is so incredibly touch starved that if anyone so much as kissed his cheek, he’d be close to proposing right then and there. 

And apparently, when it comes to Jack, just being _nice_ to him is more than enough. 

(Ok, maybe Eric _does_ need to get laid. Lord almighty.)

Besides, it’s not like he has the time to deal with relationship bullshit and all the complications it would bring. He has a lot on his plate already, what with his friends graduating and his senior year fast approaching. It’s not like he’ll even have _time_ for a boyfriend whether he becomes captain or not.

And Jack isn’t his boyfriend; he _can’t_ be, even if the idea makes Eric’s stomach do cartwheels and his heart turn into mush. 

How come the holidays always make him so cheesy? 

After several hours of flipping through the sad selection of channels on the hotel TV and scrolling aimlessly through Twitter, Lardo returns to their room at around six-thirty to get ready for the party. 

“But it doesn’t start for another two and a half hours.”

“And that’s barely enough time to get ready as it is,” Lardo replies, throwing the covers off of Eric’s body. “I’m gonna make sure you look hot as fuck for Jack tonight.”

Eric groans, reluctant, but he sits up anyway. “Why does it matter?”

“I mean, you’re already fine as hell without even trying,” she says, moving to Eric’s suitcase and beginning to rummage through it. “But you obviously need help making a damn move, and tonight’s your last night before we leave.”

“Exactly, Lards,” Eric frowns at her hunched form as she pulls out pieces of clothing and discards them on the floor. “We’re leaving. Tomorrow.”

Lardo stops what she’s doing and straightens her back, turning to Eric with a pair of mismatched socks in her hand. “Yeah, dude. So what? If _anyone_ deserves to get laid on this vacation, it’s you.” 

“But that’s not what I want,” he replies, and Lardo gives him a look that says _bullshit_. “I mean, I _do_. Of _course_ I do, but-”

“You want more?”

He sighs, falling back, legs hanging off the edge of the bed and his hands covering his face. “Yes.”

Eric hears her cross the room, then feels the mattress dip slightly as Lardo sits next to him on the bed, looking down at him with what Eric can only guess is pity; he doesn’t check to see if he’s right, continuing to cover his eyes. 

“Bits, trust me. You have nothing to worry about,” she ensures him with a hand on his thigh. “It’s pretty damn obvious that Jack’s super into you.”

Eric removes his hands from his face, letting his arms fall to his sides as he looks up at Lardo with what he hopes isn’t a pained expression. By the look that she gives in return, it most definitely is. 

It’s silent for a moment before she shifts to face him, sitting criss-cross and patting her lap as though she expects Eric to sit in it like she’s Santa at a mall on Christmas Eve. “Ok kiddo, tell aunt Lardo what’s on your mind.”

He laughs halfheartedly, turning his head away from her. “You sound like Shitty.”

“Hey, whatever gets the job done,” Lardo shrugs, placing both hands behind her on the bed and leaning back, as chill as ever even when Eric is anything but. “Seriously though, what’s up?”

Eric shifts his head back to face her for a moment, before averting his eyes to the ceiling. “I’m….not blind. I _know_ that Jack likes me. I don’t know how _much_ , but-”

“A lot.”

He shoots her a look, and Lardo looks away innocently. “ _I don’t know_ how much he likes me, but _I_ know I like _him_ ….a lot.” Eric groans, hiding his face once again. “God, I sound so _childish_!”

“Hey, man,” she leans forward, attempting to remove Eric’s hands from his face, but they don’t budge. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Loving someone-”

“ _Like_.”

Lardo sighs, hands still wrapped around Eric’s wrists. “ _Liking_ someone….it makes you stupid.”

Moving his hands from his face slowly, Eric gives her a sly smile. “And how would _you_ know?”

“I-” she quickly removes her hands and pushes him onto his side. “Don’t try to change the subject!”

“Sorry, sorry,” He laughs, rolling back onto his back before pushing himself into a sitting position. “But I’ll be remembering this for later, Ms. Duan. I can’t be the _only_ one getting emotionally vulnerable here!”

Lardo rolls her eyes, shoving Eric’s shoulder with a barely contained smile. “Whatever….now back to you, Mr. ‘I Have a Crush On My Sexy Ski Instructor’. Why won’t you just tell him how much you like him?”

Eric repeats, “Be _cause_ we’re leaving tomorrow.”

“And?”

“For _Samwell_. Which is in _America_.”

“Uh huh.”

“....And Jack lives in _Canada_.” 

“Skype exists, dude.”

He lets his back fall to the bed once again. “Why are you being so optimistic?”

“Well, _someone’s_ gotta be,” Lardo shrugs. “Which is usually _your_ job, dude. I am clearly _not_ cut out for this.”

Eric watches her stand up from the bed and turn to face him. “But in all seriousness, I really think you’re worrying too much about the worst case scenario. Just _talk to him_. I think he might surprise you.” 

“....I’ll think about it.”

“Well you better think fast, cause the party starts in-” she looks at the clock on the bedside table. “Less than two hours.” 

Eric reaches for his phone. He has a few texts from Ransom and Holster and a few dozen from Shitty, but he ignores them all in favor of staring at the ceiling and listening to the sound of Lardo picking out an outfit for him, decidedly _not_ thinking about Jack and what might come of….whatever it is they have when the clock strikes twelve. 

“We really wasted a lot of time having that sappy heart-to-heart,” Lardo says absentmindedly as she holds up a pair of cherry red boxer briefs. “Damn, Shitty _was_ right. This really is some Hallmark Christmas bullshit.”

Eric lets out a sharp laugh, which is cut off by his own briefs hitting him in the face.

He removes it just in time to see the wink Lardo sends his way as she says, “Gotta wear your good underwear. Just in case.” 

Eric shakes his head and laughs under his breath. Even though he knows there won’t be any use for them, he’d never pass up a good confidence booster. He really _does_ look good in red. 

~~~~~~~~~~

“Damn, Bits! You look fine as hell!” 

“Thanks, Rans,” Eric says, meeting the boys at the elevator with Lardo by his side. 

He _does_ look good though. Lardo had spent at least thirty minutes styling his hair, every strand falling perfect. The red knitted sweater he has on is simple yet festive and Lardo had insisted he wears the tightest pair of black skinny jeans he owns, the ones that show off “all those squats he’s been doing.” She isn’t wrong; they make his ass look fantastic. 

Lardo presses the button for the elevator as Shitty leans into her space and says, “Amazing job as always, Lards.”

She turns to him and shrugs. “Of course. I _do_ have a reputation to uphold.”

Shitty barks out a laugh, and the look on Lardo’s face is nothing short of fond. 

“Seriously, dude,” Holster says as they file into the elevator. “If Jack doesn’t have sex with you tonight, _I_ will.”

Ransom jabs Holster in the side, but Eric just laughs. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to have to decline.”

“Yeah, it’s that adonis of a ski instructor or no one,” Shitty adds, slinging an arm around Eric’s shoulders. “I can’t believe you wanna fuck your teacher. That’s kinda kinky, brah.”

Thankfully, the elevator door opens right on time, and Eric is able to escape wherever the hell _that_ conversation was going to go. The lobby is more crowded than usual, but not overwhelmingly so, and there’s music filtering throughout as guests mingle, drinking flutes of champagne or mugs of hot chocolate. 

“ _Bro_ ,” Holster grabs Ransom by the arm and points to a camera and backdrop set up next to the concierge desk. “There’s a photo booth.”

“ _Bro_.”

And with that, the two men weave their way through the crowd, leaving the rest of them behind. 

Turning to Shitty and Lardo, Eric asks, “So, what do you guys wanna-”

“Bitty!”

All three of them turn their heads in the direction of the sound, eyes falling on Jack, who’s jogging his way over to them. 

Damn, he looks good. Like, even better than usual. His bangs lay effortlessly on his forehead, not noticeably styled but lacking the usual mess that hat-hair brings. He’s wearing the same navy sweater he had on that first night, and just the memory of it makes Eric’s heart rate pick up immediately; apparently, Jack _also_ knows what color works for him.

Once he makes it over to them, Jack stands in front of Eric, a little breathless. “I’m happy you could make it! Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, good as new,” Eric replies, then gestures to his friends. “Oh! Jack, these are my friends. I don’t think you’ve…. _officially_ met.”

Jack nods, and Shitty goes to shake his hand a little too vigorously. “Shitty Knight. It’s an _honor.”_

“Jack Zimmermann,” he replies, seemingly unfazed by the unusual nickname. “You were the one who made those snow angels, right? Those were pretty impressive, and I’ve seen a _lot_.”

Shitty takes a moment to snap out of whatever trance he’s in, mouth open like a fish and eyes wide. When he finally responds, he sounds a little breathless. “At least _someone_ appreciates good art when they see it….”

Lardo shoves him out of the way to formally introduce herself as well. As she does, Shitty sidles up to Eric’s side and whispers, “Bits, that’s Jack _Zimmermann_.”

“Yes, Shits. That _is_ his name,” Eric whispers back, eyebrows knit together in confusion.

Shitty looks at him for a moment. “...nevermind.” He leaves Eric’s side to put his arm around Jack’s shoulder and begin leading him into the crowd. “So, who do you think’s got a shot at the cup this year? Cause _I_ for one think the Falcs are a _shoe in_ -”

Lardo pulls him away by the collar of his flannel. “Why don't we go see what this photo thing is all about?” 

“But I was just...Oh!” Shitty turns to Jack as Lardo drags him away. “We’ll finish this conversation later...Have fun you two!”

Eric decides to ignore the wink that Shitty sends his way, instead turning his attention back to Jack who, thankfully, looks just as nervous as Eric feels. 

“So….would you like a drink?” Jack asks.

“Sure,” Eric replies, gesturing in front of them. “Lead the way.”

And Jack does. They reach the snack table with ease, though Eric kind of wishes it was a little more crowded if only to have an excuse to hold Jack’s hand. The table is covered with a number of dishes and almost twice as many desserts, but Jack passes them all by in favor of pouring them both a glass of champagne. 

“To the New Year,” Jack says as they clink their glasses together. 

They take their first sip in unison. It’s good, helps calm Eric’s nerves just a little. 

Jack finds an empty wall for them to lean against, watching the party going on around them in silence, shoulders almost touching, but not quite. 

Eric decides to break the silence. “So, Shitty was acting really weird around you. I mean, he’s weird with everyone, but-”

Jack laughs at that, then shifts so he’s facing Eric, his shoulder against the wall. “You know how I said I used to play hockey?”

Eric nods, and Jack continues, “Well, he probably recognized my last name. My dad is Bob Zimmermann.”

When Eric continues to look completely lost, Jack asks, “You don’t know who that is, do you?”

“....Am I supposed to?”

“I mean, most hockey fans do,” Jack replies. “He’s one of the most famous players of all time.”

Eric’s eyes go wide, but Jack doesn’t look upset at his lack of NHL knowledge. Actually, he looks more happy than anything, seemingly getting a kick out of Eric’s surprise. 

“Well, that explains why Shitty was looking at you like some kind of hockey god,” Eric says. “I’ll have to have a talk with him about manners later.” 

Shifting to lean his back against the wall again – a little closer than before, Eric notices – Jack replies, “I don’t mind. He seems like a great guy.”

“When he isn’t naked? Yeah, he’s pretty great.”

Jack looks at him with bewilderment at the statement, but when Eric just laughs, looking back into the crowd and sipping on his champagne, Jack joins him. 

Eric tries to ignore the feeling of Jack’s shoulder against his, but it’s definitely a challenge.

After a few minutes, Jack asks, “How are you feeling, really?”

“Oh!” Eric’s a little caught off guard by the genuine concern in Jack’s voice, but he shakes himself out of it enough to reply, “I’m perfectly fine, really! I felt a lot better after some rest.”

“That’s good.”

The conversation teeters off again after that, Eric once again finding himself without anything to say. He wonders if now’s the right time to just let it all out, tell Jack how he feels before he can think twice. Eric can feel the words bubbling up in his throat like the champagne he’s barely made a dent in, wishing he could loosen up a bit while also knowing that he needs to stay sober if any of this is going to actually mean anything at all. 

“....I missed you today.”

Eric barely saves himself from spilling his drink all over the floor, or worse, downing it in one go.

He pauses for a moment, blinking up at Jack with wide eyes. “You- _what_?”

“In class,” Jack replies, leaning in just a little and lowering his voice. “It wasn’t as much fun without you there.”

And all Eric can think of to say is, “...Oh.”

“I missed you….a _lot_.”

Well, now he’s speechless.

“But I understand why you weren’t there,” Jack tacks on after several seconds, voice practically a whisper and though there’s still some space between them, Eric would be surprised if Jack isn’t _feeling_ the way his heart is buzzing in his chest. 

“I...had a lot I needed to think about,” Eric whispers back, like he’s telling a friend a secret under the bleachers and not standing in a hotel lobby on New Year’s Eve with a man he only met five days ago. 

But if there’s one thing those two scenarios have in common, it’s that Eric feels like a kid in both of them.

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Oh, you know…” he leans in just a centimeter more. “Just deciding on my New Year’s Resolution.” 

Apparently, Eric’s perfectly fine with the middle school flirting. In fact, he just might prefer it.

“Do you have any ideas?”

Eric tries not to lower his gaze to Jack’s lips, but it’s hard when the only other thing to look at is his eyes; he can’t decide which is worse. “I have a few.”

“Well,” He looks across the room at the giant clock on the wall. “Only two hours until midnight.”

Eric follows Jack’s gaze to the clock face and when he looks back, Jack’s eyes are already on him. 

“Better make up your mind soon, eh?”

He swears he can feel Jack lean in closer, enough to feel the warmth of Jack’s breath on his lips as he whispers, “Jack, I-”

“Jack, Bits! There you are!” 

They both pull away immediately, and Eric sort of feels like jumping out of his skin. It’s like a drastic change in temperature, being ripped away from whatever _that_ just was. 

But the feeling doesn’t last long because there’s Shitty, skipping up to the two of them so innocently as if he can’t see the fumes currently shooting out of Eric’s ears. 

“I’ve been looking all over for you! Holster got a hold of the pool table again,” Shitty says, pointing in the direction of the bar’s entrance, its doors wide open and the sound of Holster’s laughter still somehow audible over the music and chatter. “Everyone else is tired of playing, so I told him you might be down. What do you say, Jacko?”

Eric trades his death glare for a smile when Jack turns to him and asks, “Is that alright with you, Bits?”

“Of course!” He grits his teeth, but in all honesty, he probably needs a break from the anxiety he feels being so close to Jack for prolonged periods of time. 

Jack turns to Shitty and says, “I’m in.”

“Fuck yes! This way, you beautiful man,” Shitty starts to head back, but pauses, turning to Eric and saying, “You too, Bitty! I know you don’t wanna pass up the chance to see Holster get demolished.”

He rolls his eyes, but agrees. Jack smiles at him, placing a hand on Eric’s waist for a split second before following Shitty to the bar, leaving his glass of champagne on a nearby table as he leaves. 

Before Eric moves to follow them, he sneaks a glance at the drink Jack leaves behind.

It’s barely half empty. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Their game of pool goes just as badly as Eric had suspected it would. The first go-around lasts less than thirty minutes, Jack wiping the floor with Holster who’s such a sore loser he convinces Jack to play another round. 

It’s ten minutes before midnight, and Holster’s currently trying to get Jack to agree to a third game. Ransom’s the only one capable of convincing him to give up.

“He’s cheating somehow! I just know it!”

“I believe you, bro,” Ransom says. “But can we _please_ just go watch the countdown? I _really_ don’t want a repeat of last New Year’s.”

Holster points to Shitty accusingly. “That wasn’t my fault and you know it! Go ask his _cruel sheep empire_!”

“Hey, man! I’ll do anything it takes to win, you know that!”

Eric and Lardo share a look before Lardo coaxes the three men out of the bar and towards the main part of the lobby. She returns to Eric’s side, and as they watch Jack put all the pool equipment back in its place, Lardo nudges him in the side with her elbow.

“So, have you made a move yet or not?”

Eric sighs, “No...I was _this_ close though.”

“Wait, so you’re going to?” Lardo asks, and he gives her a tentative nod. “Fuck yeah, dude!”

Eric shushes her. “Can we refrain from letting _him_ know that?”

“Well, you better let him know sooner than later,” She pokes him in the shoulder. “You’re gonna need someone to kiss in like eight minutes.”

“ _I’m working on it_ ,” Eric says, and Lardo takes that as her cue to leave, shooting one last look at him on her way out. 

Jack finishes up just in time to see her go. “Guess we better get over there too, eh?”

Eric nods, and they walk there side by side. A decent crowd of people are mingling by the fireplace. Every seat seems to be taken, people choosing to sit on the floor or continue standing; somehow, all four of Eric’s friends were able to find seats on the couch.

So Eric and Jack are forced to stand next to where Shitty and Lardo are pressed close together on the couch, Ransom and Holster on the other end.

“Hey Bits, you can sit in my lap if you want!”

“ _No_ _thank you,_ Holster.”

They all talk for a few minutes about this and that, Eric struggling to pay attention over the voice in his head telling him to _do something_. He will, he swears...he’s just waiting for the right moment.

“Hey,” Jack says, leaning in to make sure Eric can hear him. “Only five more minutes until the year is over.”

The TV above the fireplace is playing a Canadian news network’s New Year’s countdown, and sure enough, it’s eleven fifty-five.

Wait. Scratch that. Eleven fifty-six.

“Would you look at that! Crazy….” 

Eric wouldn’t call himself _smooth_ , but _Christ._ That was just painful.

But Jack just smiles, like he always does. 

“Bitty, I-” he pauses, then puts a hand on Eric’s bicep. “I had a really great time this week.”

Eric glances at the hand on his arm, that back up at Jack. “So did I.”

They end up staring at one another for at least a minute, and Eric can hear the tick of the clock in his head.

“Jack, there’s something I-”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you-”

They laugh quietly between each other, then Jack says, “You go first.”

It takes a second for Eric to come up with what to say, the words that can convey everything he feels, but doesn’t know how to put into words. How does he describe what Jack makes him feel, how grateful he is that he met him when he did, jet-lagged and cold and scared of what the future had in store for him? 

Thirty seconds; That future is close to becoming the present. 

“Jack...”

And for the first time this entire trip, Eric doesn’t hesitate.

“You made my year.”

Twenty seconds; Jack’s hand moves from Eric’s arm to his shoulder.

“Funny. I was just about to say the same thing.”

Ten seconds; He sees Lardo watch the clock countdown, Shitty’s eyes on her the whole time.

Five seconds; He sees Ransom and Holster already kissing, and Eric doesn’t even have time to be surprised by _that_ revelation because-

“Hey,” Jack says, squeezing Eric’s shoulder. He’s closer than before, and Eric’s breath catches in his throat. “Did you decide on your New Years’ Resolution yet?”

_‘Three, two, one-’_

Eric wraps both arms around Jack’s neck, nods, and closes the distance. 

_“Happy New Year!’_

It’s 2016, he’s in a ski resort in Canada, and Eric’s never felt more warmth in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want you all to know that right as this chapter posts, I'm starting on chapter 6 for tomorrow....gotta love self-imposed deadlines-
> 
> This chapter ended up being WAY longer than planned, but I really like how it turned out!! :)


	6. New Year's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't goodbye, not if Eric has anything to say about it.

Eric wakes up on the morning of the first day of 2016 with a strong arm draped over his waist and a warm bare chest pressed against his back. He can feel Jack breathe slow and steady against the shell of his ear, lips ghosting the back of his neck and making him shiver despite the body heat. 

It’s a great thing to wake up to, New Year’s Day or not. 

Oh, right. It’s officially a new year, which means the date is January first, which just so happens to be the day that Eric and his friends are leaving the resort and returning to Samwell.

He looks over at the clock on the bedside table with bleary eyes and checks the time; it’s eight in the morning, and Eric’s flight leaves in three hours. 

So much for a happy new year.

They were up pretty late last night, so Eric carefully slips out from under Jack’s arm, standing up from the bed as quietly as possible. He finds his red briefs discarded on the floor, picking them up and throwing them in with the rest of the dirty laundry in his suitcase. He grabs a clean – though sadly less flattering – pair of boxer shorts and steps into them one leg at a time, with as little movement as possible.

When he turns back around, a pair of sleepy blue eyes are on him, and Eric practically jumps out of skin.

“Jack! I’m sorry, did I wake you?” He asks, a hand on his heart in surprise. 

“No, though I _was_ hoping you’d still be in bed when I did,” Jack replies, eyes trailing down Eric’s body and stopping at the waistband of the underwear hanging low on his hips. “But this is also a nice view to wake up to.”

Eric hopes the flush of his skin isn’t _too_ obvious, but he’s not wearing much to cover it either. 

He stands there, just a few steps away from the warmth of the covers and Jack’s embrace. Eric may be in nothing but boxers, but he knows that the sheets are the only thing hiding the fact that Jack is wearing nothing at all. 

Still, he feels exposed with Jack looking at him like that, like the heaviness of his bones from sleep is the only thing preventing him from tossing Eric over his shoulder and forcing him back in bed. 

“When’s your flight again?” 

Eric’s taken aback by the sudden question. “...Eleven, but checkout is at ten.”

He follows Jack’s gaze to the clock, then back at each other. 

They don’t even need to say a word as Eric lets yet another pair of underwear fall to the floor, taking the few steps back to the bed as Jack throws the covers away from his body. Eric straddles his hips and leans down to kiss him, morning breath the least of his worries. 

He’s already wasted so much time, what’s a few more? 

~~~~~~~~~~

They _do_ have to get out of bed eventually, and as they cram both their bodies into the hotel shower, Eric realizes, “Wait, don’t you have to teach today?”

“Lessons don’t start until the afternoon on New Year’s,” Jack replies, smiling down at him as he lathers Eric’s hair with shampoo. “Besides, I wanna spend every last minute with you before you leave.”

“Well, this shower was _definitely_ not made for two people, so I think you’ve gotten your wish.”

Jack laughs, soapy hands on Eric’s shoulders as he kisses his cheek from behind. “Thank you.”

Eric wonders in that moment, if he let himself cry, would the water cascading down them both be enough to hide it?

~~~~~~~~~~

They dry themselves off slowly, taking their time even though they _know_ they don’t have much of it left. Eric is tempted multiple times by the muscles in Jack’s back and arms to fall back into bed one last time, and the looks he catches Jack giving him as he gets dressed isn’t helping, but they’ve already used up one of the two hours they were given.

Unfortunately, an international flight isn’t going to delay takeoff just because Eric doesn’t want to say goodbye.

And he knows this doesn’t _have_ to mean goodbye, but something about it still feels so final, like he’ll return to Samwell and everything that happened this week would stay trapped in some pocket of time; What happens in a ski resort in Canada _stays_ in a ski resort in Canada, right?

If Lardo could hear him right now, she’d call him a fucking idiot. 

And she’d be right. 

But she isn’t here, because Lardo’s the most amazing friend Eric could ask for and had insisted he have the hotel room to himself immediately after Jack and Eric had kissed the first time. She’d moved her luggage into Shitty’s room before the party had even begun, hugging Eric as the party winded down and telling him to have a “fun night” with the most wicked grin he’d ever seen. 

He thinks maybe should feel bad about kicking Lardo out on their last night at the resort, but he has a feeling that she was just fine staying with Shitty for the night. 

Wait, does that mean she had to kick Ransom and Holster out? Honestly, Eric wouldn’t put it past her.

He begins packing his suitcase in silence, letting the monotony of the task distract him from his thoughts for a moment. That doesn’t last long though, because the subject of his thoughts is still in the room, coming up beside him and joining Eric in his packing. 

Eric almost says he doesn’t need the help, but then he sees the look on Jack’s face - concerned yet caring - and he gives in, giving him a handful of unused socks to fold; Eric _really_ overpacked, it seems.

“So….you’re leaving.”

It’s not a question, doesn’t need to be. He pauses for a moment, looking at Jack, then returns to the task at hand as he says, “Vacation doesn’t last forever, sweetheart.”

Jack laughs, though there’s a sadness to it that Eric hasn’t heard from him before. “Is it selfish to wish that it could?”

“Yes,” Eric pauses. “Guess that makes two of us.”

He hears Jack let out a shaky breath. “Eric.”

Turning his head to the side, he notices that Jack has stopped folding, leaving the socks in a pile on the bed in favor of looking at Eric like he’s afraid he might disappear. 

“You….want this too, right? Us?”

The anxiety in Jack’s voice makes Eric stop what he’s doing and turn his body fully towards the man beside him, reaching for his hand and squeezing it tight. “Oh honey, of _course_ I do.”

The sigh of relief that Jack lets out makes Eric take his other hand in his, letting their fingers tangle loosely together between them. “I’m sorry I made you worry. I wouldn’t have kissed you last night if I didn’t know for sure that I wanted to make this work.”

“And you’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Now it’s Jack’s turn to squeeze Eric’s hands, bending down to kiss his temple before pressing their foreheads together. “I’m really glad you kissed me, you know.”

Eric lets out a soft chuckle as Jack’s hands move to his hips, thumbs moving under the hem of his shirt to rub circles onto his skin. “Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“I _was_ going to kiss you first, but you beat me to it.”

“Uh huh. Sure.”

Jack proves himself with a kiss to Eric’s lips, not as intense as one's before it, but just as deep in meaning. 

He pulls away from him then, returning to the pile of socks waiting to be put away. That simple touch of Jack’s thumbs must be branded into his skin because Eric swears he still feels them there even after they're gone.

They fold in silence for a few minutes; then, without even looking in Jack’s direction, Eric asks, “Skype, twice a week?”

“...How about three?”

Eric laughs, “Ok. Skype at _least_ three times a week. How do you feel about texting?”

“Good,” Jack says. “But- uh….I’m gonna need your number for that.”

“Wait, we really never exchanged numbers?”

“I was too nervous to ask.”

This makes Eric laugh even harder. “Wow! You really need to work on your game.”

Jack looks at him for a moment, then goes back to folding. “Looks like I had enough of it last night. And this morning-”

“Oh, shut it!” Eric can’t help but shove Jack playfully in the shoulder at that, though he doesn’t so much as budge. 

They’re able to finish packing eventually. The sound of the zipper closing his suitcase shut is a lot louder and more dramatic than it needs to be, but it’s cut off by Jack’s voice at his side.

“When do you think we can see each other again?” Jack asks. “I can fly to you if that’s easier. Just tell me when you’re available, and I’ll make it work.”

Eric looks up from his suitcase with disbelief, but the look on Jack’s face is 100% honest. It makes him fully understand, for the first time, that they’re really doing this. Jack is serious about this; _Eric_ isserious about this. This isn’t just a _what if_ anymore. They made their decision, they took the leap, and they’re going all-in.

And he’s not even as surprised as he probably should be. Jack doesn’t really seem like the kind of guy to do anything in halves; Eric understands that now.

That thought alone makes him hopeful. 

Eric’s about to hold Jack’s face in his hands and kiss him breathless, but he’s interrupted by the buzzing of his phone in his pocket. “Oh!”

“What’s wrong?” Jack asks, and the pout on his face from not receiving a kiss is so endearing it almost makes Eric forget what the hell he’s worried about.

“It’s Lardo. She’s wondering where I am,” He checks the time on his phone. “Shit! We only have thirty minutes left before we have to leave.”

Jack’s face turns a little sad before he steels himself, moving to put a hand on Eric’s shoulder. “We should go meet up with them then. Where are they right now?”

“At the breakfast buffet,” Eric answers, reading off Lardo’s text.

Jack nods. “I guess we shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer.”

They dance around each other with ease as they check the room for anything they might’ve forgotten, meeting back together in front of the door, Eric’s suitcase between them. 

“Here, let me,” Jack says, taking the handle before Eric can object.

Eric rolls his eyes, but his smile is too wide for it to mean anything other than fondness. 

Reaching for the door, Jack opens it, gesturing for Eric to go ahead of him. “After you.”

“You silly boy,” Eric replies, kissing Jack’s cheek before leaving the room, Jack shutting the door behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~

They get there with only ten minutes left before the buffet closes, Eric relieved that he’ll get to at least eat _something_ before hopping on a plane for several hours. His friends are just as terrible as he expects them to be when they arrive, Shitty whistling like some kind of 1950’s catcaller and Ransom and Holster debating whether or not almost making your teammates late for their flight home because you were too busy “boning down” counts as a fine. 

It definitely does, but Eric’s a little surprised when they unanimously agree otherwise, looking between Jack and Eric with something akin to pride. 

Lardo just watches it all go down before leaning to whisper in Eric’s ear, “I expect deets on the flight home, you know.”

He laughs, Jack’s hand resting casually on his thigh under the table.

Eric’s friends may be graduating, but he knows they’ll never truly leave him behind.

~~~~~~~~~~

Lardo gets a text letting them know that the Uber taking them to the airport has arrived, and they all drag their things through the lobby to meet them, pulling on coats and hats before facing the cold on the other side of the door. 

Eric watches as the driver helps put all of their luggage in the back of his giant SUV. Lardo calls shotgun immediately, and no one objects as they all clamber inside. 

“Hey,” Jack says, and Eric turns around to face him.

Jack steps in closer so their feet are touching, then removes his own scarf from his neck. He wraps it around Eric carefully, but keeps his lips exposed. “Don’t want you catching a cold, eh?”

Tears pricking the corners of his eyes, Eric gets on his tiptoes to give Jack one last kiss. 

But it isn’t their last one, is it? The thought makes Eric feel warm all over, from the tips of his toes to where Jack’s lips meet his.

His friends start hooting and hollering behind them, and Eric breaks the kiss with a laugh. 

“Text me when you land?” Jack asks, hand coming up to frame Eric’s cheek.

He leans into the touch, and nods. “I’ll text you.”

Eric moves to leave, but pauses, turning back around and pulling Jack down to kiss him just one more time.

“Sorry,” Eric says, finally pulling away for real this time. “Needed one more for the road.”

Jack laughs, head thrown back and cheeks flushed almost as much as Eric’s.

“Hey, Bits! I know you don’t wanna leave your hunk of a boyfriend, but we kinda don’t have all day!” Shitty yells. 

Eric takes that as his cue to finally walk away from Jack and towards the car, walking backwards and waving to Jack as he goes. Jack waves back, eyes full of something not unlike a word that Eric doesn’t think he’ll be able to hold back from saying much longer. 

He opens the car door and gets in. As they start to drive away, Eric continues looking out the window, back to where Jack is still standing; He keeps waving until Jack is out of sight. 

Slumping down in his chair, Shitty leans in from the seat next to him and says, “Looks like 2016’s off to a good start, huh?”

Eric sighs, “Yeah…” 

He looks down at his phone, a text from Jack lighting up the screen with a single ‘❤️’

Maybe this year won’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE WE HAVE IT! thank you so much for following along and I hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I loved writing it :') 
> 
> As for my next project, I'll probably start focusing on my Check Please themed album (all original music!!) and hopefully get going on my fic about teenage Jack and Bitty hooking up as teenagers (there's gonna be...so much Jack angst in that one-). I'll probably start crossposting some Tumblr prompts I've written here so I have something to post while I'm too busy for anything else.
> 
> also, Happy New Year!!! Let's hope 2021 goes easy on us-

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to post a chapter every day this week leading up to New Year's Day, but since I only have 3 chapters finished so far, there might be some changes to that schedule....I'm gonna try to get it done on time though. I've been having a lot of trouble getting the words to come this time around for some reason-
> 
> come talk to me on Tumblr at [b1ttle](https://b1ttle.tumblr.com/) (my omgp blog) or [marc0bot](https://marc0bot.tumblr.com/) (my main)!! I love talking to people about my fics or receiving prompts!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!! I love getting feedback and talking to you guys!!! <3


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